FTP Consultants

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Fire Testing & Protection

Carlo Luisi

Naval Architect
& Marine Engineer

Profile & Experience

Naval Architect and Marine Engineer with over 25 years of experience in the maritime industry, covering new vessel construction, refurbishment projects, manufacturing processes and strategic technical consultancy.

Throughout his career, Carlo has worked with shipyards, international manufacturers and marine contractors across Europe, the United States and Asia, gaining solid experience in passenger ships, cargo vessels, military ships and yachts.

Over the last decade, his professional focus has been on passive fire protection systems for marine applications. He has supported manufacturers in the development of innovative products, guided full certification processes in compliance with IMO FTP Code and SOLAS requirements, and provided on-site assistance during full-scale fire tests at authorized laboratories.

As an independent consultant, Carlo offers objective technical guidance across the entire product lifecycle, from concept definition and certification to market introduction, supporting both technical and commercial activities, including trade fairs and industry events.

Services

Support during the design and development of passive fire protection products for marine applications. Providing objective technical support without ties to specific products, ensuring compliance with international regulations and project-specific requirements.

Product Development

Support for the design and development of passive fire protection products for marine applications, aligned with international standards and shipyard requirements.

Certification Process

Guidance through IMO FTP Code SOLAS, MED Directive certification processes, including test planning and technical documentation review.
Non mandatory instruments such as 2009 MODU CODE also part of the activities.

Full-Scale Fire Testing

Organization and on-site assistance during full-scale fire tests at authorized laboratories. Mainly at Italian laboratories, but the service can also be covered at international laboratories.

Market & Technical Support

Technical and commercial support during market introduction, trade fairs and interaction with shipyards and project stakeholders.
Branding and sales of the new cutting-edge products are also part of the service.

International Regulatory Framework

1974 SOLAS 74 Convention Chapter II-1 , II-2 Construction -Fire protection, fire detection and fire extinction, and other relevant chapters

IMO res. MSC. 307 (88)- INTERNATIONAL CODE FOR APPLICATION OF FIRE TEST PROCEDURES, 2010 (FTP CODE 2010)

Non-combustibility test
Smoke and toxicity test
Test for “A, “B”, and “F” class division
Test for fire door control system
Test for surface flammability
Test for vertically supported textiles and films
Test for the upholstered furniture
Test for bedding components
Test for fire-restricting material for high-speed craft
Test for resistant division for high speed-craft

IMO Res. 98(73) INTERNATIONAL CODE FOR FIRE SAFETY SYSTEM (FSS) CODE

INTERNATIONAL LIFE SAVING APLLIANCES (LSA) CODE

MED Directive 2014/90/EU

MSC.435(98) AMENDMENTS TO THE CODE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION AND EQUIPMENT OF MOBILE OFFSHORE DRILLING UNITS, 2009 (2009 MODU CODE)

A.1023(26) CODE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION AND EQUIPMENT OF MOBILE OFFSHORE DRILLING UNITS, 2009 (2009 MODU CODE)

UK- MARINE EQUIPMENT CERTIFICATION MSN 1874

NORSOK STANDARDS

JET FIRE STANDARD ISO 22899-1 DETERMINATION OF THE RESISTANCE TO JET FIRES OF PASSIVE FIRE PROTECTION MATERIALS

Complex Fire Penetration Solutions for Special Marine Applications

Design, development, testing and certification of non-standard fire-rated penetrations for complex vessels.

The Challenge

Marine vessels often require fire-rated penetrations far beyond standard dimensions and configurations. Large-diameter pipes, weight constraints, complex layouts and historical vessel limitations make the application of standard solutions impractical or impossible.

When Size Matters

One of the most critical challenges addressed involved the design and certification of an A60 fire-rated penetration for a pipe with a diameter of 1000 mm.
Such dimensions are extremely uncommon in standard fire protection systems and require a dedicated engineering approach to ensure fire resistance, structural integrity and compliance with IMO FTP Code requirements.

Engineering and Product Development

The project required the development of new non-combustible and combustible pipe penetration solutions, designed to be extremely lightweight while maintaining high fire resistance performance. Special attention was given to ease of installation on board, reducing installation time and minimizing the impact on vessel construction and retrofit schedules.

Testing, Approval and Certification

All solutions were developed in compliance with international maritime fire safety regulations and underwent full certification processes, including fire testing in accordance with the IMO FTP Code. The activity covered the entire approval path, from test planning and execution to final certification.

H class fire test, intoduced on 1989 IMO MODU Code after the ofsshore tagedy of The Piper Alpha on 1988, which proved that standard “A” Class (wood/paper fire) protection was useless against high-pressure gas and oil fires, are today one of the most challeging certificate to obtain.

Jet fire Test

In the maritime context, a jet fire is defined as a high-momentum, directional flame resulting from the ignition of a pressurized release of flammable gas or liquid onboard a vessel. Although the IMO Fire Test Procedures (FTP) Code does not specifically define a jet fire test, jet fire is recognized within risk-based design and hazard identification studies (e.g., HAZID/HAZOP) as a severe accidental load case. Consequently, classification societies may require structural fire protection systems, insulation materials, and load-bearing elements to demonstrate resistance to high heat flux and flame impingement conditions consistent with recognized international standards (e.g., ISO 22899-1) to prevent escalation and maintain structural integrity during emergency scenarios.

On-Site Technical Support

Direct ship visits were carried out to support customers during critical decision-making phases, ensuring that technical solutions were correctly evaluated and applied in real operational conditions.

Special and Historical Vessel Applications

The consultancy also covered special vessel applications, including historical yachts and luxury ship refits, where fire protection solutions must meet strict regulatory requirements while respecting architectural and structural constraints.